Mop structure



United States Patent 3,447,183 MOP STRUCTURE Robert M. McClung, 5422 Ludlow Ave.,

Calif. 92641, and Fred J. McClung, St., Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626 Filed Dec. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 690,191 Int. Cl. A47l 13/255, 1/08 U.S. Cl. -151 Garden Grove, 2925 Ellesmere 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mop structure which supports a mop head in a useable position from a body forming a part of the structure. Spring means also form a part of the structure which serves the dual function of permanently afiixing an elongate handle to the head and removably supports a bail on the body to secure the mop head thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates generally to the field of mops, and more particularly to a mop structure in which manually operable spring means serve to permanently afiiX an elongate handle to the body of the structure, as well as removably support a bail on the body, which bail in turn removably engages an elongate fabric web portion of the mop head.

Description of the prior art SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A mop body that includes manually operable spring means for permanently affixing an elongate handle thereto and also removably securing a bail to the body that supports a mop head. The web of the mop head is preferably longer than the body in order that portions of the head will project from opposite ends of the body to serve as resilient cushions that contact walls and furniture during use of the mop whereby damage thereto is prevented. With the exception of the spring means the mop body is of such structure that it may be injection molded from a polymerized resin.

A major object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive mop body of simple structure that can be molded from a polymerized resin, is easy to use, inexpensive to produce, lightweight and compact, and occupies a minimum of storage space when not in use.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the mop structure removably supporting the mop head;

3,447,183 Patented June 3, 1969 FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the mop body and mop head supported therefrom;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, cross-sectional view of the mop body, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, transverse cross-sectional view of the mop body, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a second longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mop body from which the mop head has been removed; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the springs mounted on the body and illustrating the manner in which it removably engages one of the legs of a bail to removably support the hail from the body.

Description of the preferred embodiment The mop structure of the present invention as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, includes a body A, preferably molded from a polymerized resin, with spring means B associated therewith that serves the dual function of permanently securing an elongate handle C to the body and removably attaching a bail D to the body. After penetrating the web 10 of the mop head E, the bail D is adapted to be removably engaged by the spring means B to secure the head to the body A in a position ready for use, as shown in FIGURE 1.

The head E, as may best be seen in FIGURE 2, includes an elongate member 12 having first and second oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending surfaces 12a and 12b, respectively. The outer extremities of member 12 develop into end portions 14, which are greater in thickness than that portion of the member situated therebet'ween. A bore 16 extends through each of the end portions 14, with each bore being disposed in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the member 12.

Two recesses 18 of rectangular cross section are formed in the ends 14 and extend downwardly from the surface 12a thereof, with each recess being in communication with one of the bores 16. A cylindrical sleeve 20 projects outwardly from the first surface 12a of member 12.

A number of longitudinally spaced, transverse, reinforcing ribs 22 project from the second surface 12b of member 12 as shown in FIGURE 2, and the lower surfaces 22a thereof lie in the same plane as lower first surfaces 14a of end portions 14. The surfaces 14a and 22a are preferably convex, and the web 10 abuts against these surfaces. A pair of U-shaped side walls 26 extend from sleeve 20 and merge into the sides and ends of the elongate member 12 as best illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

The mop head E includes the elongate fabric web 10 from which a number of water absorbent, elongate members 30 such as cords, strings, or the like, depend. The

bail D is comprised of a crossbar 32 from which two legs 34 project in the same direction that are adapted to snugly and slidably engage the bores 16, as shown in FIGURE 2. The upper ends 34a of leg 34 are sharpened to permit the legs to penetrate the web 10 and removably secure the mop head E to the body A, as will later be described in detail.

The spring means B include two elongate spring strips 36 (FIGURE 5) that are so formed as to define two legs 38 oppositely disposed within the confines of the sleeve 20. By a slitting and forming operation, the legs 38 are shaped to define first upwardly and outwardly extending barbs 38a and inwardly and downwardly extending barbs 38b, the purpose of which will later be explained. The upper ends of legs 38 develop into short strip portions 40 that are parallel to the elongate member 12. The outer ends of portions 40 develop into downwardly and outwardly extending trigger portions 42 which are longitudinally spaced from the exterior surfaces of sleeve 20.

The trigger portions 42 merge into flat strip portions 44 that lie on the first surface 120 of elongate member 12, and the outer ends of portions 44 develop into upwardly and outwardly extending segments 46. Each segment 46 terminates in a sharp transverse edge 48 from which a leg 50 projects downwardly and inwardly, with the free end edge 52 thereof abutting against the lower innermost, transverse edge of one of the recesses 18, as best seen in FIGURE 5. In FIGURE 6 it will be seen that a semi-circular segment is removed from each segment 46 and the leg 50 most adjacent thereto to define a semi-circular edge 52 that is normally in pressure contact with one of the legs 34.

The material from which the edges 52 are formed is harder than that from which the legs 34 are formed, whereby the edges 52 tend to dig into the legs 34 to removably support the bail D from the body A, together with the mop head E.

If desired, the lower ends of legs 38 may be connected by a web 39 as shown in FIGURE 2, to permit the automatic alignment of the legs when they are placed in sleeve 20. When the legs 38 are connected by the web 39, the spring means B can be formed from a single metal strip.

To assemble the mop structure, the legs 38 of the spring means B are positioned in the sleeve 20 in the manner shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, and the end of the handle C is then slid into the sleeve to pressure contact the legs. As the handle C is slid downwardly in the sleeve 20, the barbs 38b become embedded therein, and the barbs 38a are forced into the sleeve 20. Due to the configuration thereof, the barbs 38a prevent removal of the legs 38 from the sleeve 20, and the barbs 38b are embedded in handle C in such a fashion that they act as fish hooks to prevent displacement of the handle from the sleeve without concurrent removal of the legs 38. Accordingly, removal of the legs 38 is impossible, for the barbs 3811 are embedded in the sleeve 20.

When the ends 52 of the Spring means B are disposed in the recesses 18 (FIGURE 3) the semi-circular edges 52 will pressure contact the legs 34 as they are moved upwardly through the bores 16 to the positions shown in FIGURE 2. Inasmuch as the edges 52 are defined by a material harder than that of the legs 34, they will tend to dig into the legs 34 when the bail D is moved downwardly relative to body A and thus prevent disengagement of the mop head E from the body.

When it is desired to remove the mop head E from the body A, the trigger portions 42 of the spring means B are grasped between a thumb and finger, as shown in phantom line in FIGURE 5, and pressed towards one another, with this pressure causing the edges 52 to move towards one another to disengage them from their gripping positions on the legs 34. The legs 34, together with the mop head E, may then be separated from the body A, either to permit the mop head to be washed and cleaned, or a new mop head substituted therefor.

The mop head E is preferably longer than the body A so that portions of the mophead will project from the ends of the body to act as cushions and prevent damage to walls and furniture due to being inadvertently contacted by the mop body A.

We claim:

1. A mop structure for removably supporting a mop head that includes an elongate fabric web, which structure includes:

(a) an elongate body having first and second oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending surfaces, with said head having a centrally disposed, circular sleeve pro jecting from said first surface, and two bores formed in the end portions thereof that are disposed in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of said member;

(b) a bail comprising a crossbar and two parallel legs which project outwardly in the same direction from the ends thereof, with the free ends of said legs being sharpened to permit the same to penetrate said web, with said legs being of such transverse cross section as to slidably engage said bores;

(c) an elongate handle, a first end portion of which is disposed in said sleeve; and

(d) manually operable spring means for concurrently locking said first end portion of said handle in a fixed position in said sleeve, and removably supporting said legs in said bores to dispose said web of said mop head in abutting contact with said second surface.

2. A mop structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is molded from a polymerized resin, which body further includes:

(e) an elongate member on which said first surface is (f) a plurality of transverse, longitudinally spaced reinforcing ribs that project from the side of said member most remote from said first surface, with the free ends of each of said ribs defining one of said second surfaces.

3. A mop structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongate member has two longitudinally extending recesses formed in opposite ends thereof that are in communication with said bores, with said recesses extending into said body from said first surface thereof, and said spring means being partially disposed in said sleeve and in said recesses.

4. A mop structure as defined in claim 3 wherein that portion of said spring means in said sleeve is defined by parts of two oppositely disposed spring strips which are so shaped as to have a plurality of upwardly and outwardly and downwardly and inwardly prongs projecting therefrom, with said handle when an end portion thereof is disposed in said sleeve forcing said upwardly and outwardly extending prongs into said sleeves and said downwardly and inwardly extending prongs into said handle to permanently alfix said handle to said body, with said prongs being formed from a material harder than that from which said sleeve and handle they contact are formed.

5. A mop structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said spring strips extend longitudinally in opposite directions to positions outwardly from said recesses, which strips define transverse edges outwardly from said recesses that pressure contact said legs of said bails, said strips including angularly disposed legs that extend inwardly from said edges into said recesses, and with said strips when manual pressure is applied to portions thereof intermediate said parts in said sleeve and said legs in said recess deforming to move said edges out of contact with said legs of said bail to permit removal of said bail and mop head from said body.

6. A mop structure as defined in claim 5 wherein the portions of said edges in contact with said legs of said bails are substantially semi-circular.

7. A mop structure as defined in claim 4 which further includes:

(e) a wall means that substantially conceal said spring means when said body is viewed from a side or end thereof.

8. A mop structure as defined in claim 7 wherein wall means conceals the ends of said reinforcing ribs.

9. A mop structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the innermost portions of said strips in said sleeve are connected by a transverse web.

K (References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Duncan 15-151 Ean 15153 Harr 15-153 Andersch et a1. 15-153 Parantau 15151 Fisher 15-153 Gillis 15-151 6 9/1935 Lawlor 15-153 7/1953 Weil 15229 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 12/1965 France. 12/ 1946 Switzerland.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

